Lidar system

ABSTRACT

A LIDAR system includes a laser source, a first lens, and a second lens. The laser source is configured to output a first beam. The first lens includes a planar portion and a convex portion. The first lens is configured to receive the first beam and output a second beam responsive to the first beam. The second lens includes a concave portion and a planar portion. The second lens is configured to receive the second beam and output a third beam responsive to the second beam.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 17/182,455, filed Feb. 23, 2021. The disclosure of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 17/182,455 is incorporated herein by reference inits entirety.

BACKGROUND

Optical detection of range using lasers, often referenced by a mnemonic,LIDAR, for light detection and ranging, also sometimes called laserRADAR, is used for a variety of applications, including imaging andcollision avoidance. LIDAR provides finer scale range resolution withsmaller beam sizes than conventional microwave ranging systems, such asradio-wave detection and ranging (RADAR).

SUMMARY

At least one aspect relates to a light detection and ranging (LIDAR)system. The LIDAR system includes a laser source, a first lens, and asecond lens. The laser source is configured to output a first beam. Thefirst lens includes a planar portion and a convex portion. The firstlens is configured to receive the first beam and output a second beamresponsive to the first beam. The second lens includes a concave portionand a planar portion. The second lens is configured to receive thesecond beam and output a third beam responsive to the second beam.

At least one aspect relates to an autonomous vehicle control system. Theautonomous vehicle control system includes a laser source, a first lens,a second lens, and one or more processors. The laser source isconfigured to output a first beam. The first lens includes a planarportion and a convex portion. The first lens is configured to receivethe first beam and output a second beam responsive to the first beam.The second lens includes a concave portion and a planar portion. Thesecond lens is configured to receive the second beam and output a thirdbeam responsive to the second beam. The one or more processors areconfigured to determine at least one of a range to an object or avelocity of the object using a return beam received responsive to thethird beam and control operation of an autonomous vehicle responsive tothe at least one of the range or the velocity.

At least one aspect relates to an autonomous vehicle. The autonomousvehicle includes a LIDAR system, at least one of a steering system or abraking system, and a vehicle controller. The LIDAR system includes alaser source, a first lens, and a second lens. The laser source isconfigured to output a first beam. The first lens includes a planarportion and a convex portion. The first lens is configured to receivethe first beam and output a second beam responsive to the first beam.The second lens includes a concave portion and a planar portion. Thesecond lens is configured to receive the second beam and output a thirdbeam responsive to the second beam. The vehicle controller includes oneor more processors configured to determine at least one of a range to anobject or a velocity of the object using a return beam receivedresponsive to the third beam and control operation of the at least oneof the steering system and the braking system responsive to the at leastone of the range or the velocity.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary isillustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Any ofthe features described herein may be used with any other features, andany subset of such features can be used in combination according tovarious embodiments. Other aspects, inventive features, and advantagesof the devices and/or processes described herein, as defined solely bythe claims, will become apparent in the detailed description set forthherein and taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Implementations are illustrated by way of example, and not by way oflimitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which likereference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an example of a system environment forautonomous vehicles;

FIG. 1B is a block diagram of an example of a system environment forautonomous commercial trucking vehicles;

FIG. 1C is a block diagram of an example of a system environment forautonomous commercial trucking vehicles;

FIG. 1D is a block diagram of an example of a system environment forautonomous commercial trucking vehicles;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example of a LIDAR system;

FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram of an example of optics of a LIDAR systemthat include cylindrical lenses;

FIG. 3B is a cross-section of an example of the optics of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 3C is a schematic diagram of an example of optics of a LIDAR systemthat include spherical lenses;

FIG. 3D is a cross-section of an example of the optics of FIG. 3C;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic diagrams of examples of articulation of alens using the LIDAR system of FIGS. 3A and 3B;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an example of a LIDAR system;

FIG. 6 is a chart of an example of angle profiles of lens articulationand beam output using the LIDAR system of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7A is a schematic diagram of an example of a LIDAR system thatincludes a flexure;

FIG. 7B is a perspective view of an example of a flexure assembly of aLIDAR system;

FIG. 7C is a finite element analysis diagram of an example of theflexure assembly of FIG. 7B;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are schematic diagrams of examples of articulation of alens using various LIDAR systems described herein;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an example of a LIDAR system;

FIGS. 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams of examples of articulation oftwo lenses of a LIDAR system;

FIG. 11 is a chart of an example of angle profiles of lens articulationand beam output using the LIDAR system of FIGS. 10A and 10B;

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of an example of articulation of a LIDARsystem using spherical lenses;

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of an example of articulation of multiplespherical lenses of a LIDAR system; and

FIG. 14 is a chart of an example of a scan pattern performed using aLIDAR system including optics having multiple spherical lenses.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A LIDAR system can generate and transmit a light beam that an object canreflect or otherwise scatter as a return beam corresponding to thetransmitted beam. The LIDAR system can receive the return beam, andprocess the return beam or characteristics thereof to determineparameters regarding the object such as range and velocity. The LIDARsystem can apply various frequency or phase modulations to thetransmitted beam, which can facilitate relating the return beam to thetransmitted beam in order to determine the parameters regarding theobject.

The LIDAR system can include a laser source, a first lens, and a secondlens. The laser source can be configured to output a first beam. Thefirst lens can include a first, planar portion and a second, convexportion. The first lens can be configured to receive the first beam andoutput a second beam responsive to the first beam. The second lens caninclude a third, concave portion and a fourth, planar portion. Thesecond lens can be configured to receive the second beam and output athird beam responsive to the second beam.

Systems and methods in accordance with the present disclosure can usethe LIDAR system to output a highly linear transmitted beam, such as atransmitted beam that is within a threshold of having a triangularwaveform over time. This can enable more consistent sampling of anglesscanned by the transmitted beam, and can improve performancecharacteristics of the LIDAR system, such as signal to noise ratio, fordetermining parameters of objects in the environment around the LIDARsystem using the transmitted beam and return beams that are scattered bythe objects in the environment. For example, improved performancecharacteristics can enable the LIDAR system to more accurately determinerange, velocity, and Doppler shift information regarding objects, whichcan enable a maximum design range of the LIDAR system to increase. Forexample, the LIDAR system can be effectively used for long rangeapplications (e.g., maximum range greater than 400 meters), such asautonomous trucking.

1. System Environments for Autonomous Vehicles

FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating an example of a systemenvironment for autonomous vehicles according to some implementations.FIG. 1A depicts an example autonomous vehicle 100 within which thevarious techniques disclosed herein may be implemented. The vehicle 100,for example, may include a powertrain 102 including a prime mover 104powered by an energy source 106 and capable of providing power to adrivetrain 108, as well as a control system 110 including a directioncontrol 112, a powertrain control 114, and a brake control 116. Thevehicle 100 may be implemented as any number of different types ofvehicles, including vehicles capable of transporting people and/orcargo, and capable of traveling in various environments. Theaforementioned components 102-116 can vary widely based upon the type ofvehicle within which these components are utilized, such as a wheeledland vehicle such as a car, van, truck, or bus. The prime mover 104 mayinclude one or more electric motors and/or an internal combustion engine(among others). The energy source may include, for example, a fuelsystem (e.g., providing gasoline, diesel, hydrogen, etc.), a batterysystem, solar panels or other renewable energy source, and/or a fuelcell system. The drivetrain 108 can include wheels and/or tires alongwith a transmission and/or any other mechanical drive components toconvert the output of the prime mover 104 into vehicular motion, as wellas one or more brakes configured to controllably stop or slow thevehicle 100 and direction or steering components suitable forcontrolling the trajectory of the vehicle 100 (e.g., a rack and pinionsteering linkage enabling one or more wheels of the vehicle 100 to pivotabout a generally vertical axis to vary an angle of the rotationalplanes of the wheels relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle).In some implementations, combinations of powertrains and energy sourcesmay be used (e.g., in the case of electric/gas hybrid vehicles), and insome instances multiple electric motors (e.g., dedicated to individualwheels or axles) may be used as a prime mover.

The direction control 112 may include one or more actuators and/orsensors for controlling and receiving feedback from the direction orsteering components to enable the vehicle 100 to follow a desiredtrajectory. The powertrain control 114 may be configured to control theoutput of the powertrain 102, e.g., to control the output power of theprime mover 104, to control a gear of a transmission in the drivetrain108, etc., thereby controlling a speed and/or direction of the vehicle100. The brake control 116 may be configured to control one or morebrakes that slow or stop vehicle 100, e.g., disk or drum brakes coupledto the wheels of the vehicle.

Other vehicle types, including but not limited to off-road vehicles,all-terrain or tracked vehicles, construction equipment, may utilizedifferent powertrains, drivetrains, energy sources, direction controls,powertrain controls and brake controls. Moreover, in someimplementations, some of the components can be combined, e.g., wheredirectional control of a vehicle is primarily handled by varying anoutput of one or more prime movers.

Various levels of autonomous control over the vehicle 100 can beimplemented in a vehicle control system 120, which may include one ormore processors 122 and one or more memories 124, with each processor122 configured to execute program code instructions 126 stored in amemory 124. The processors(s) can include, for example, graphicsprocessing unit(s) (“GPU(s)”)) and/or central processing unit(s)(“CPU(s)”).

Sensors 130 may include various sensors suitable for collectinginformation from a vehicle's surrounding environment for use incontrolling the operation of the vehicle. For example, sensors 130 caninclude radar sensor 134, LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor136, a 3D positioning sensors 138, e.g., any of an accelerometer, agyroscope, a magnetometer, or a satellite navigation system such as GPS(Global Positioning System), GLONASS (Globalnaya NavigazionnayaSputnikovaya Sistema, or Global Navigation Satellite System), BeiDouNavigation Satellite System (BDS), Galileo, Compass, etc. The 3Dpositioning sensors 138 can be used to determine the location of thevehicle on the Earth using satellite signals. The sensors 130 caninclude a camera 140 and/or an IMU (inertial measurement unit) 142. Thecamera 140 can be a monographic or stereographic camera and can recordstill and/or video images. The IMU 142 can include multiple gyroscopesand accelerometers capable of detecting linear and rotational motion ofthe vehicle in three directions. One or more encoders (not illustrated),such as wheel encoders may be used to monitor the rotation of one ormore wheels of vehicle 100. Each sensor 130 can output sensor data atvarious data rates, which may be different than the data rates of othersensors 130.

The outputs of sensors 130 may be provided to a set of controlsubsystems 150, including a localization subsystem 152, a planningsubsystem 156, a perception subsystem 154, and a control subsystem 158.The localization subsystem 152 can perform functions such as preciselydetermining the location and orientation (also sometimes referred to as“pose”) of the vehicle 100 within its surrounding environment, andgenerally within some frame of reference. The location of an autonomousvehicle can be compared with the location of an additional vehicle inthe same environment as part of generating labeled autonomous vehicledata. The perception subsystem 154 can perform functions such asdetecting, tracking, determining, and/or identifying objects within theenvironment surrounding vehicle 100. A machine learning model inaccordance with some implementations can be utilized in trackingobjects. The planning subsystem 156 can perform functions such asplanning a trajectory for vehicle 100 over some timeframe given adesired destination as well as the static and moving objects within theenvironment. A machine learning model in accordance with someimplementations can be utilized in planning a vehicle trajectory. Thecontrol subsystem 158 can perform functions such as generating suitablecontrol signals for controlling the various controls in the vehiclecontrol system 120 in order to implement the planned trajectory of thevehicle 100. A machine learning model can be utilized to generate one ormore signals to control an autonomous vehicle to implement the plannedtrajectory.

Multiple sensors of types illustrated in FIG. 1A can be used forredundancy and/or to cover different regions around a vehicle, and othertypes of sensors may be used. Various types and/or combinations ofcontrol subsystems may be used. Some or all of the functionality of asubsystem 152-158 may be implemented with program code instructions 126resident in one or more memories 124 and executed by one or moreprocessors 122, and these subsystems 152-158 may in some instances beimplemented using the same processor(s) and/or memory. Subsystems may beimplemented at least in part using various dedicated circuit logic,various processors, various field programmable gate arrays (“FPGA”),various application-specific integrated circuits (“ASIC”), various realtime controllers, and the like, as noted above, multiple subsystems mayutilize circuitry, processors, sensors, and/or other components.Further, the various components in the vehicle control system 120 may benetworked in various manners.

In some implementations, the vehicle 100 may also include a secondaryvehicle control system (not illustrated), which may be used as aredundant or backup control system for the vehicle 100. In someimplementations, the secondary vehicle control system may be capable offully operating the autonomous vehicle 100 in the event of an adverseevent in the vehicle control system 120, while in other implementations,the secondary vehicle control system may only have limitedfunctionality, e.g., to perform a controlled stop of the vehicle 100 inresponse to an adverse event detected in the primary vehicle controlsystem 120. In still other implementations, the secondary vehiclecontrol system may be omitted.

Various architectures, including various combinations of software,hardware, circuit logic, sensors, and networks, may be used to implementthe various components illustrated in FIG. 1A. Each processor may beimplemented, for example, as a microprocessor and each memory mayrepresent the random access memory (“RAM”) devices comprising a mainstorage, as well as any supplemental levels of memory, e.g., cachememories, non-volatile or backup memories (e.g., programmable or flashmemories), read-only memories, etc. In addition, each memory may beconsidered to include memory storage physically located elsewhere in thevehicle 100, e.g., any cache memory in a processor, as well as anystorage capacity used as a virtual memory, e.g., as stored on a massstorage device or another computer controller. One or more processorsillustrated in FIG. 1A, or entirely separate processors, may be used toimplement additional functionality in the vehicle 100 outside of thepurposes of autonomous control, e.g., to control entertainment systems,to operate doors, lights, convenience features, etc.

In addition, for additional storage, the vehicle 100 may include one ormore mass storage devices, e.g., a removable disk drive, a hard diskdrive, a direct access storage device (“DASD”), an optical drive (e.g.,a CD drive, a DVD drive, etc.), a solid state storage drive (“SSD”),network attached storage, a storage area network, and/or a tape drive,among others.

Furthermore, the vehicle 100 may include a user interface 164 to enablevehicle 100 to receive a number of inputs from and generate outputs fora user or operator, e.g., one or more displays, touchscreens, voiceand/or gesture interfaces, buttons and other tactile controls, etc.Otherwise, user input may be received via another computer or electronicdevice, e.g., via an app on a mobile device or via a web interface.

Moreover, the vehicle 100 may include one or more network interfaces,e.g., network interface 162, suitable for communicating with one or morenetworks 170 (e.g., a Local Area Network (“LAN”), a wide area network(“WAN”), a wireless network, and/or the Internet, among others) topermit the communication of information with other computers andelectronic device, including, for example, a central service, such as acloud service, from which the vehicle 100 receives environmental andother data for use in autonomous control thereof. Data collected by theone or more sensors 130 can be uploaded to a computing system 172 viathe network 170 for additional processing. In some implementations, atime stamp can be added to each instance of vehicle data prior touploading.

Each processor illustrated in FIG. 1A, as well as various additionalcontrollers and subsystems disclosed herein, generally operates underthe control of an operating system and executes or otherwise relies uponvarious computer software applications, components, programs, objects,modules, data structures, etc., as will be described in greater detailbelow. Moreover, various applications, components, programs, objects,modules, etc. may also execute on one or more processors in anothercomputer coupled to vehicle 100 via network 170, e.g., in a distributed,cloud-based, or client-server computing environment, whereby theprocessing required to implement the functions of a computer program maybe allocated to multiple computers and/or services over a network.

In general, the routines executed to implement the variousimplementations described herein, whether implemented as part of anoperating system or a specific application, component, program, object,module or sequence of instructions, or even a subset thereof, will bereferred to herein as “program code”. Program code can include one ormore instructions that are resident at various times in various memoryand storage devices, and that, when read and executed by one or moreprocessors, perform the steps necessary to execute steps or elementsembodying the various aspects of the present disclosure. Moreover, whileimplementations have and hereinafter will be described in the context offully functioning computers and systems, it will be appreciated that thevarious implementations described herein are capable of beingdistributed as a program product in a variety of forms, and thatimplementations can be implemented regardless of the particular type ofcomputer readable media used to actually carry out the distribution.

Examples of computer readable media include tangible, non-transitorymedia such as volatile and non-volatile memory devices, floppy and otherremovable disks, solid state drives, hard disk drives, magnetic tape,and optical disks (e.g., CD-ROMs, DVDs, etc.) among others.

In addition, various program code described hereinafter may beidentified based upon the application within which it is implemented ina specific implementation. Any particular program nomenclature thatfollows is used merely for convenience, and thus the present disclosureshould not be limited to use solely in any specific applicationidentified and/or implied by such nomenclature. Furthermore, given thetypically endless number of manners in which computer programs may beorganized into routines, procedures, methods, modules, objects, and thelike, as well as the various manners in which program functionality maybe allocated among various software layers that are resident within atypical computer (e.g., operating systems, libraries, API's,applications, applets, etc.), the present disclosure is not limited tothe specific organization and allocation of program functionalitydescribed herein.

2. LIDAR for Automotive Applications

A truck can include a LIDAR system (e.g., vehicle control system 120 inFIG. 1A, LIDAR system 200 in FIG. 2, among others described herein). Insome implementations, the LIDAR system can use frequency modulation toencode an optical signal and scatter the encoded optical signal intofree-space using optics. By detecting the frequency differences betweenthe encoded optical signal and a returned signal reflected back from anobject, the frequency modulated (FM) LIDAR system can determine thelocation of the object and/or precisely measure the velocity of theobject using the Doppler effect. In some implementations, an FM LIDARsystem may use a continuous wave (referred to as, “FMCW LIDAR”) or aquasi-continuous wave (referred to as, “FMQW LIDAR”). In someimplementations, the LIDAR system can use phase modulation (PM) toencode an optical signal and scatters the encoded optical signal intofree-space using optics.

In some instances, an object (e.g., a pedestrian wearing dark clothing)may have a low reflectivity, in that it only reflects back to thesensors (e.g., sensors 130 in FIG. 1A) of the FM or PM LIDAR system alow amount (e.g., 10% or less) of the light that hit the object. Inother instances, an object (e.g., a shiny road sign) may have a highreflectivity (e.g., above 10%), in that it reflects back to the sensorsof the FM LIDAR system a high amount of the light that hit the object.

Regardless of the object's reflectivity, an FM LIDAR system may be ableto detect (e.g., classify, recognize, discover, etc.) the object atgreater distances (e.g., 2×) than a conventional LIDAR system. Forexample, an FM LIDAR system may detect a low reflectively object beyond300 meters, and a high reflectivity object beyond 400 meters.

To achieve such improvements in detection capability, the FM LIDARsystem may use sensors (e.g., sensors 130 in FIG. 1A). In someimplementations, these sensors can be single photon sensitive, meaningthat they can detect the smallest amount of light possible. While an FMLIDAR system may, in some applications, use infrared wavelengths (e.g.,950 nm, 1550 nm, etc.), it is not limited to the infrared wavelengthrange (e.g., near infrared: 800 nm-1500 nm; middle infrared: 1500nm-5600 nm; and far infrared: 5600 nm-1,000,000 nm). By operating the FMor PM LIDAR system in infrared wavelengths, the FM or PM LIDAR systemcan broadcast stronger light pulses or light beams than conventionalLIDAR systems.

Thus, by detecting an object at greater distances, an FM LIDAR systemmay have more time to react to unexpected obstacles. Indeed, even a fewmilliseconds of extra time could improve response time and comfort,especially with heavy vehicles (e.g., commercial trucking vehicles) thatare driving at highway speeds.

The FM LIDAR system can provide accurate velocity for each data pointinstantaneously. In some implementations, a velocity measurement isaccomplished using the Doppler effect which shifts frequency of thelight received from the object based at least one of the velocity in theradial direction (e.g., the direction vector between the object detectedand the sensor) or the frequency of the laser signal. For example, forvelocities encountered in on-road situations where the velocity is lessthan 100 meters per second (m/s), this shift at a wavelength of 1550nanometers (nm) amounts to the frequency shift that is less than 130megahertz (MHz). This frequency shift is small such that it is difficultto detect directly in the optical domain. However, by using coherentdetection in FMCW, PMCW, or FMQW LIDAR systems, the signal can beconverted to the RF domain such that the frequency shift can becalculated using various signal processing techniques. This enables theautonomous vehicle control system to process incoming data faster.

Instantaneous velocity calculation also makes it easier for the FM LIDARsystem to determine distant or sparse data points as objects and/ortrack how those objects are moving over time. For example, an FM LIDARsensor (e.g., sensors 130 in FIG. 1A) may only receive a few returns(e.g., hits) on an object that is 300 m away, but if those return give avelocity value of interest (e.g., moving towards the vehicle at >70mph), then the FM LIDAR system and/or the autonomous vehicle controlsystem may determine respective weights to probabilities associated withthe objects.

Faster identification and/or tracking of the FM LIDAR system gives anautonomous vehicle control system more time to maneuver a vehicle. Abetter understanding of how fast objects are moving also allows theautonomous vehicle control system to plan a better reaction.

The FM LIDAR system can have less static compared to conventional LIDARsystems. That is, the conventional LIDAR systems that are designed to bemore light-sensitive typically perform poorly in bright sunlight. Thesesystems also tend to suffer from crosstalk (e.g., when sensors getconfused by each other's light pulses or light beams) and fromself-interference (e.g., when a sensor gets confused by its own previouslight pulse or light beam). To overcome these disadvantages, vehiclesusing the conventional LIDAR systems often need extra hardware, complexsoftware, and/or more computational power to manage this “noise.”

In contrast, FM LIDAR systems do not suffer from these types of issuesbecause each sensor is specially designed to respond only to its ownlight characteristics (e.g., light beams, light waves, light pulses). Ifthe returning light does not match the timing, frequency, and/orwavelength of what was originally transmitted, then the FM sensor canfilter (e.g., remove, ignore, etc.) out that data point. As such, FMLIDAR systems produce (e.g., generates, derives, etc.) more accuratedata with less hardware or software requirements, enabling smootherdriving.

The FM LIDAR system can be easier to scale than conventional LIDARsystems. As more self-driving vehicles (e.g., cars, commercial trucks,etc.) show up on the road, those powered by an FM LIDAR system likelywill not have to contend with interference issues from sensor crosstalk.Furthermore, an FM LIDAR system uses less optical peak power thanconventional LIDAR sensors. As such, some or all of the opticalcomponents for an FM LIDAR can be produced on a single chip, whichproduces its own benefits, as discussed herein.

2.1 Commercial Trucking

FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating an example of a systemenvironment for autonomous commercial trucking vehicles, according tosome implementations. The environment 100B includes a commercial truck102B for hauling cargo 106B. In some implementations, the commercialtruck 102B may include vehicles configured to long-haul freighttransport, regional freight transport, intermodal freight transport(i.e., in which a road-based vehicle is used as one of multiple modes oftransportation to move freight), and/or any other road-based freighttransport applications. In some implementations, the commercial truck102B may be a flatbed truck, a refrigerated truck (e.g., a reefertruck), a vented van (e.g., dry van), a moving truck, etc. In someimplementations, the cargo 106B may be goods and/or produce. In someimplementations, the commercial truck 102B may include a trailer tocarry the cargo 106B, such as a flatbed trailer, a lowboy trailer, astep deck trailer, an extendable flatbed trailer, a sidekit trailer,etc.

The environment 100B includes an object 110B (shown in FIG. 1B asanother vehicle) that is within a distance range that is equal to orless than 30 meters from the truck.

The commercial truck 102B may include a LIDAR system 104B (e.g., an FMLIDAR system, vehicle control system 120 in FIG. 1A, LIDAR system 200 inFIG. 2A) for determining a distance to the object 110B and/or measuringthe velocity of the object 110B. Although FIG. 1B shows that one LIDARsystem 104B is mounted on the front of the commercial truck 102B, thenumber of LIDAR system and the mounting area of the LIAR system on thecommercial truck are not limited to a particular number or a particulararea. The commercial truck 102B may include any number of LIDAR systems104B (or components thereof, such as sensors, modulators, coherentsignal generators, etc.) that are mounted onto any area (e.g., front,back, side, top, bottom, underneath, and/or bottom) of the commercialtruck 102B to facilitate the detection of an object in any free-spacerelative to the commercial truck 102B.

As shown, the LIDAR system 104B in environment 100B may be configured todetect an object (e.g., another vehicle, a bicycle, a tree, streetsigns, potholes, etc.) at short distances (e.g., 30 meters or less) fromthe commercial truck 102B.

FIG. 1C is a block diagram illustrating an example of a systemenvironment for autonomous commercial trucking vehicles, according tosome implementations. The environment 100C includes the same components(e.g., commercial truck 102B, cargo 106B, LIDAR system 104B, etc.) thatare included in environment 100B.

The environment 100C includes an object 110C (shown in FIG. 1C asanother vehicle) that is within a distance range that is (i) more than30 meters and (ii) equal to or less than 150 meters from the commercialtruck 102B. As shown, the LIDAR system 104B in environment 100C may beconfigured to detect an object (e.g., another vehicle, a bicycle, atree, street signs, potholes, etc.) at a distance (e.g., 100 meters)from the commercial truck 102B.

FIG. 1D is a block diagram illustrating an example of a systemenvironment for autonomous commercial trucking vehicles, according tosome implementations. The environment 100D includes the same components(e.g., commercial truck 102B, cargo 106B, LIDAR system 104B, etc.) thatare included in environment 100B.

The environment 100D includes an object 110D (shown in FIG. 1D asanother vehicle) that is within a distance range that is more than 150meters from the commercial truck 102B. As shown, the LIDAR system 104Bin environment 100D may be configured to detect an object (e.g., anothervehicle, a bicycle, a tree, street signs, potholes, etc.) at a distance(e.g., 300 meters) from the commercial truck 102B.

In commercial trucking applications, it is important to effectivelydetect objects at all ranges due to the increased weight and,accordingly, longer stopping distance required for such vehicles. FMLIDAR systems (e.g., FMCW and/or FMQW systems) or PM LIDAR systems arewell-suited for commercial trucking applications due to the advantagesdescribed above. As a result, commercial trucks equipped with suchsystems may have an enhanced ability to move both people and goodsacross short or long distances. In various implementations, such FM orPM LIDAR systems can be used in semi-autonomous applications, in whichthe commercial truck has a driver and some functions of the commercialtruck are autonomously operated using the FM or PM LIDAR system, orfully autonomous applications, in which the commercial truck is operatedentirely by the FM or LIDAR system, alone or in combination with othervehicle systems.

3. LIDAR Systems

FIG. 2 depicts an example of a LIDAR system 200. The LIDAR system 200can be used to determine parameters regarding objects, such as range andvelocity, and output the parameters to a remote system. For example, theLIDAR system 200 can output the parameters for use by a vehiclecontroller that can control operation of a vehicle responsive to thereceived parameters (e.g., vehicle controller 298) or a display that canpresent a representation of the parameters. The LIDAR system 200 can bea coherent detection system. The LIDAR system 200 can be used toimplement various features and components of the systems described withreference to FIGS. 1A-1D. The LIDAR system 200 can include componentsfor performing various detection approaches, such as to be operated asan amplitude modular LIDAR system or a coherent LIDAR system. The LIDARsystem 200 can be used to perform time of flight range determination.

The LIDAR system 200 can include a laser source 204 that emits a beam206, such as a carrier wave light beam. A splitter 208 can split thebeam 206 into a beam 210 and a reference beam 212 (e.g., referencesignal).

A modulator 214 can modulate one or more properties of the input beam210 to generate a beam 216 (e.g., target beam). In some implementations,the modulator 214 can modulate a frequency of the input beam 210. Forexample, the modulator 214 can modulate a frequency of the input beam210 linearly such that a frequency of the beam 216 increases ordecreases linearly over time. As another example, the modulator 214 canmodulate a frequency of the input beam 210 non-linearly (e.g.,exponentially). In some implementations, the modulator 214 can modulatea phase of the input beam 210 to generate the beam 216. However, themodulation techniques are not limited to the frequency modulation andthe phase modulation. Any suitable modulation techniques can be used tomodulate one or more properties of a beam. Returning to FIG. 2, themodulator 214 can modulate the beam 210 subsequent to splitting of thebeam 206 by the splitter 208, such that the reference beam 212 isunmodulated, or the modulator 214 can modulate the beam 206 and providea modulated beam to the splitter 208 for the splitter 208 to split intoa target beam and a reference beam.

The beam 216, which is used for outputting a transmitted signal, canhave most of the energy of the beam 206 outputted by the laser source204, while the reference beam 212 can have significantly less energy,yet sufficient energy to enable mixing with a return beam 248 (e.g.,returned light) scattered from an object. The reference beam 212 can beused as a local oscillator (LO) signal. The reference beam 212 passesthrough a reference path and can be provided to a mixer 260. Anamplifier 220 can amplify the beam 216 to output a beam 222, which acollimator 224 can collimate to output a beam 226.

As depicted in FIG. 2, a circulator 228 can be between the collimator224 and optics 232 to receive the beam 226 and output a beam 230 to thescanning optics 232. The circulator 228 can be between the laser source204 and the collimator 224. The circulator 228 can receive return beam248 from the optics 232 and provide the return beam 248 to the mixer260.

As described further herein, the optics 232 can include a first lens 236and a second lens 240. The first lens 236 can receive the beam 230(e.g., a first beam, such as the beam 206 from the laser source 204 orvarious other beams generated by components of the LIDAR system 200,such as the beam 226), and output a beam 238 to the second lens 240responsive to the beam 230. The second lens 240 can output a beam 242responsive to the beam 238. The first lens 236 can cause deflection ofthe beam 230 to output the beam 238 (e.g., in a particular plane), andthe second lens 240 can cause deflection of the beam 238 to output thebeam 242 (e.g., in the particular plane). The deflections caused by thelenses 236, 240 can be used to control the angle of the beam 242. Theangle of the beam 242 over time can be substantially linear (e.g., lessthan a threshold difference from a linear or triangular waveform, suchas a difference determined based on mean squared error).

The lenses 236, 240 can be ground or polished lenses. The lenses 236,240 can be made from glass or crystalline materials. The lenses 236, 240can be transparent to light over a range of wavelengths that includes awavelength of the beam 206 or various other beams between the lasersource 204 and the optics 232, such as a wavelength of about 1550 nm.The lenses 236, 240 can have indices of refraction from about 1.5 toabout 4, including 1.8, or 3.5; for example, increased indices ofrefraction can enable a greater angular deflection of the beam 242relative to articulation of at least one of the lens 236 or the lens240. The indices of refraction of the lenses 236, 240 can be within athreshold of one another, such as within twenty percent of one another.The radii of curvature of the curved surfaces of the lenses 236, 240 canbe within a threshold of one another, such as within twenty percent ofone another.

The lenses 236, 240 can include curved (e.g., concave, convex) surfacesoriented in a direction facing where an incoming beam (e.g., beam 230)is received or opposite where the incoming beam is received. The lenses236, 240 can be implemented using Fresnel lenses. The lenses 236, 240can be implemented using flattened cylindrical lenses. One or both ofthe lenses 236, 240 can be articulated; for example, articulating bothlenses 236, 240 can enable balancing angular momentum between themovements and reducing a form factor of the optics 232. The curvedsurfaces of the lenses 236, 240 can enable the articulation to controlof angles of beams received and deflected by the lenses 236, 240 in oneor more degrees of freedom corresponding to directions of curvaturealong the curved surfaces.

The optics 232 can define a field of view 244 that corresponds to anglesscanned (e.g., swept) by the beam 242 (e.g., a transmitted beam) basedon at least one of deflection caused by the first lens 236 or deflectioncaused by the second lens 240. For example, the beam 242 can be scannedin the particular plane, such as an azimuth plane or elevation plane(e.g., relative to an object to which the LIDAR system 200 is coupled,such as an autonomous vehicle). For example, as an orientation of atleast one of the first lens 236 changes relative to a direction of thebeam 230 incident on the first lens 236 or the second lens 240 changesrelative to a direction of the beam 238 incident on the second lens 240,an angle (e.g., azimuth angle) of the beam 242 will change, enabling theoptics 232 to scan over the field of view 244. The optics 232 can beoriented so that the field of view 244 sweeps an azimuthal planerelative to the optics 232.

The beam 242 can be outputted from the optics 232 and reflected orotherwise scattered by an object (not shown) as a return beam 248 (e.g.,return signal). The return beam 248 can be received on a reception path,which can include the circulator 228, and provided to the mixer 260.

The mixer 260 can be an optical hybrid, such as a 90 degree opticalhybrid. The mixer 260 can receive the reference beam 212 and the returnbeam 248, and mix the reference beam 212 and the return beam 248 tooutput a signal 264 responsive to the reference beam 212 and the returnbeam 248. The signal 264 can include an in-phase (I) component 268 and aquadrature (Q) component 272.

The LIDAR system 200 can include a receiver 276 that receives the signal264 from the mixer 260. The receiver 276 can generate a signal 280responsive to the signal 264, which can be an electronic (e.g., radiofrequency) signal. The receiver 276 can include one or morephotodetectors that output the signal 280 responsive to the signal 264.

The LIDAR system 200 can include a processing system 290, which can beimplemented using features of the vehicle control system 120 describedwith reference to FIG. 1A. The processing system 290 can process datareceived regarding the return beam 248, such as the signal 280, todetermine parameters regarding the object such as range and velocity.The processing system 290 can include a scanner controller 292 that canprovide scanning signals to control operation of the optics 232, such asto control articulation of the optics 232. The processing system 290 caninclude a Doppler compensator 294 that can determine the sign and sizeof a Doppler shift associated with processing the return beam 248 and acorrected range based thereon along with any other corrections. Theprocessing system 290 can include a modulator controller 296 that cansend one or more electrical signals to drive the modulator 214.

The processing system 290 can include or be communicatively coupled witha vehicle controller 298 to control operation of a vehicle for which theLIDAR system 200 is installed (e.g., to provide complete orsemi-autonomous control of the vehicle). For example, the vehiclecontroller 298 can be implemented by at least one of the LIDAR system200 or control circuitry of the vehicle. The vehicle controller 298 cancontrol operation of the vehicle responsive to at least one of a rangeto the object or a velocity of the object determined by the processingsystem 290. For example, the vehicle controller 298 can transmit acontrol signal to at least one of a steering system or a braking systemof the vehicle to control at least one of speed or direction of thevehicle.

FIGS. 3A and 3B depict an example of a system 300, which can be used toimplement at least a portion of the LIDAR system 200 described withreference to FIG. 2, such as the optics 232. For example, as depicted inFIGS. 3A and 3B, the system 300 can include a first lens 304 (which canbe used to implement the first lens 236 of FIG. 2) and a second lens 320(which can be used to implement the second lens 240 of FIG. 2).

The first lens 304 can receive a beam 302 along an optical axis 308(e.g., as depicted, various rays of the beam 302 can extend along orparallel to the optical axis 308). In the frame of reference andarrangement of the first lens 304 and second lens 320 of FIGS. 3A and3B, the x-z and x-y planes can be orthogonal to the optical axis 308,which can be orthogonal to a first, planar portion 312, such as at leasta portion of a planar surface, of the first lens 304. The first lens 304can include a second, convex portion 316, such as at least a portion ofa curved surface. The second portion 316 can be on an opposite side ofthe first portion 312 from which the beam 302 is received. For example,the first lens 304 can be a cylindrical plano-convex lens, where thefirst portion 312 forms the planar surface of the plano-convex lens andthe second portion 316 forms the cylindrical convex surface of theplano-convex lens. The second convex portion 316 can output (e.g.,deflect) the beam 302 to provide a beam 318.

The second lens 320 can be spaced from the first lens 304 on an oppositeside of the first lens 304 from which the beam 302 is received, and canreceive the beam 318 from the first lens 304. The second lens 320 caninclude a third, concave portion 324, such as at least a portion of aconcave cylindrical surface, at which the beam 318 is received, and afourth, planar portion 328, such as at least a portion of a planarsurface, on an opposite side of the second lens 320 from the thirdportion 324. For example, the second lens 320 can be a cylindricalplano-concave lens, in which the third portion 324 forms the cylindricalconcave surface of the plano-concave lens and the fourth portion 328forms the planar surface of the plano-concave lens.

The third portion 324 can receive the beam 318 from the first lens 304,and the fourth portion 328 can output (e.g., deflect) the beam 318 as abeam 330. In the arrangement depicted in FIGS. 3A and 3B in which thefirst portion 312 is orthogonal to the optical axis 308 of the beam 302and the fourth portion 328 is orthogonal to the optical axis 308 (andthus the first portion 312 and fourth portion 328 are parallel), thebeam 330 can be outputted in a same direction as the beam 302, such asalong the optical axis 308.

A first optical power (e.g., 1/focal length) of the first lens 304 alongthe optical axis 308 can be equal to a second optical power of thesecond lens 320 with respect to relative spacing of the lenses 304, 320.As such, a net effect on the incident light of the beam 302, at leastwithin a threshold distance of the optical axis 308 in a propagationdirection parallel to the optical axis 308, can be negligible. The firstlens 304 can have a first observation plane 332, and the second lens 320can have a second observation plane 336, defining a distance d1 betweenthe observation planes. Such an arrangement can correspond to a productof a first transformation matrix of the first lens 304 and a secondtransformation matrix of the second lens 320 being nominally equal(e.g., within five percent of equal) to [1, d1; 0, 1] in the arrangementin which the first portion 312 and the fourth portion 328 are parallel.As such, where the beam 302 is a Gaussian beam of low divergence (e.g.,a collimated beam), a beam quality can be maintained throughout thesystem 300.

FIGS. 3C and 3D depict an example of a system 350, which can be used toimplement at least a portion of the LIDAR system 200 described withreference to FIG. 2, such as the optics 232. For example, as depicted inFIGS. 3C and 3D, the system 350 can include a first lens 354 (which canbe used to implement the first lens 236 of FIG. 2) and a second lens 370(which can be used to implement the second lens 240 of FIG. 2). Thesystem 350 can be similar to the system 300, and use spherical surfacesfor the curved features of the lenses 354, 370.

For example, the first lens 354 can receive a beam 352 along an opticalaxis 358 (e.g., as depicted, various rays of the beam 352 can extendalong or parallel to the optical axis 358). In the frame of referenceand arrangement of the first lens 354 and second lens 370 of FIGS. 3Cand 3D, the x-z and x-y planes can be orthogonal to the optical axis358, which can be orthogonal to a first, planar portion 362, such as atleast a portion of a planar surface, of the first lens 354. The firstlens 354 can include a second, convex portion 366, such as at least aportion of a curved surface. For example, the first lens 354 can be aspherical plano-convex lens, where the first portion 362 forms theplanar surface of the plano-convex lens and the second portion 366 formsthe spherical convex surface of the plano-convex lens. The second convexportion 366 can output (e.g., deflect) the beam 352 to provide a beam368.

The second lens 370 can be spaced from the first lens 354 on an oppositeside of the first lens 354 from which the beam 352 is received, and canreceive the beam 368 from the first lens 354. The second lens 370 caninclude a third, concave portion 374, such as at least a portion of aconcave spherical surface, at which the beam 368 is received, and afourth, planar portion 378, such as at least a portion of a planarsurface, on an opposite side of the second lens 370 from the thirdportion 374. For example, the second lens 370 can be a sphericalplano-concave lens, in which the third portion 374 forms the cylindricalconcave surface of the plano-concave lens and the fourth portion 378forms the planar surface of the plano-concave lens.

The third portion 374 can receive the beam 368 from the first lens 354,and the fourth portion 378 can output (e.g., deflect) the beam 368 as abeam 380. In the arrangement depicted in FIGS. 3C and 3D in which thefirst portion 362 is orthogonal to the optical axis 358 of the beam 352and the fourth portion 378 is orthogonal to the optical axis 358 (andthus the first portion 362 and fourth portion 378 are parallel), thebeam 380 can be outputted in a same direction as the beam 352, such asalong the optical axis 358.

Similar to the lenses 304, 320, a first optical power of the first lens354 along the optical axis 358 can be equal to a second optical power ofthe second lens 370 with respect to relative spacing of the lenses 354,370. The first lens 354 can have a first observation plane 382, and thesecond lens 370 can have a second observation plane 386, defining adistance d2 between the observation planes. Such an arrangement cancorrespond to a product of a first transformation matrix of the firstlens 354 and a second transformation matrix of the second lens 370 beingnominally equal (e.g., within five percent of equal) to [1, d2; 0, 1] inthe arrangement in which the first portion 362 and the fourth portion378 are parallel.

At least one of the first lens 304 or the second lens 320 can bearticulated to control a direction of the beam 330, such as to performbeam steering of the beam 330. At least one of the first lens 304 or thesecond lens 320 can define a center of curvature 301 (e.g., relative torespective curved portions 316, 324) about which the at least one of thefirst lens 304 or the second lens 320 can be articulated. For example,the at least one of the first lens 304 or the second lens 320 can bearticulated about a rotation axis that extends through the center ofcurvature 301 and coincides with the z axis in the frame of referencedepicted with respect to FIGS. 3A and 3B. For example, the at least oneof the first lens 304 or the second lens 320 can be articulated in aplane of curvature, such as the x-y plane depicted with respect to FIGS.3A and 3B. For the cylindrical shape of the curved portions 316, 324,the x-y plane can be a single plane of articulation (e.g., otherrotations may result in the curved portions 316, 324 contacting oneanother or other undesired changes to the system 300).

FIGS. 4A and 4B depict examples of articulations 400, 450 respectivelyof the second lens 320 with respect to the first lens 304. For example,the second lens 320 can be bidirectionally articulated, and can bearticulated in open loop or closed loop control schemes as describedfurther herein. For example, the second lens 320 can be an articulatedplano-concave lens, while the first lens 304 is a static plano-convexlens. For the example of articulation 400, the second lens 320 isarticulated by an angle 404 defined between the center of curvature 301and the optical axis 308. The beam 302 passes through the cylindricalpairing defined by the surfaces of the cylindrical portions 316, 324,and is deflected by refraction to be outputted at the fourth portion 328as a beam 408, which has an angle 412 (corresponding to deflection inthe x-y plane) relative to the optical axis 308 (and relative to the x-zplane).

For the example of articulation 450, the second lens 320 is articulatedby an angle 454 defined between the center of curvature 301 and theoptical axis 308. The beam 302 is deflection by refraction to beoutputted at the fourth portion 328 as a beam 458, which has an angle462 (corresponding to deflection in the x-y plane) relative to theoptical axis 308 (and relative to the x-z plane).

FIG. 5 depicts an example of a system 500 that can articulate the atleast one of the first lens 304 or the second lens 320. For example, thesystem 500 can articulate the at least one of the first lens 304 or thesecond lens 320 in a manner corresponding to an inhomogeneous secondorder dynamical system with damping. As such, the system 500 can achieverelatively large sinusoidal angular motion of at least one of the firstlens 304 or the second lens 320 with relatively little torque appliedfrom actuator 504 as described herein.

The system 500 can include at least one actuator 504 that can be coupledto at least one of the first lens 304 or the second lens 320. Theactuator 504 can include a direct current (DC) motor, such as apermanent magnet DC motor 505. The actuator 504 can operate as asynchronous motor. The actuator 504 can include a voice coil.

The actuator 504 can include or be coupled with a controller 508 (e.g.,drive electronics) that controls operation of the actuator 504 tocontrol rotation of the at least one of the first lens 304 or the secondlens 320. The controller 508 can include a motor control unit to controloperation of the actuator 504.

For example, as depicted in FIG. 5, the actuator 504 can be coupled tothe second lens 320 to cause rotation of the second lens 320 by an angle506 in the x-y plane relative to the optical axis 308, resulting in adeflection of the beam 330 by an angle 510 in the x-y plane relative tothe optical axis 308. The actuator 504 can cause sinusoidal control ofthe angle 506 of rotation of the second lens 320.

The system 500 can include at least one energy storage element 512, suchas a mechanical energy storage element that stores energy mechanicallyin response to a force applied to the energy storage element 512. Theenergy storage element 512 can be a spring or a flexure (e.g., flexure708 described with respect to FIG. 7A). The energy storage element 512can apply a linear restorative force to the at least one of the firstlens 304 or the second lens 320 articulated by the actuator 504. Forexample, the energy storage element 512 can be a spring (e.g., atorsional spring) coupled to the at least one of the first lens 304 orthe second lens 320. The energy storage element 512 can be positioned atthe center of curvature 301, such as to be aligned with the z axis toapply a linear restorative force to the at least one of the first lens304 or the second lens 320 in a direction towards the optical axis 308in the x-y plane (e.g., in a direction opposite the articulation of theat least one of the first lens 304 or the second lens 320 away from theoptical axis 308 as caused by the actuator 504). For example, the energystorage element 512 can be fixed to a pivot point at the center ofcurvature 301.

FIG. 6 depicts an example of a chart 600 of an angle profile 604corresponding to the angle 506 of articulation of the second lens 320using the system 500, and an angle profile 608 corresponding to theangle 510 of the beam 330 resulting from the articulation of the secondlens 320 using the system 500. The angle profiles 604, 608 correspond toangles (e.g., angles of deflection) over time (e.g., as depicted,deflection in degrees and time in seconds), in an example in which thelenses 304, 320 each have indices of refraction of 1.8, and the secondlens 320 is articulated with an amplitude of 30 degrees at 60 Hz.

The angle profile 608 can be highly linear in time. For example, theangle profile 608 can be highly linear in time for large deflections ofthe second lens 320, enabling a constant scan speed and constant pointdensity along the line of scan corresponding to the beam 330 outputtedfrom the second lens 320. For various examples of control of the angle510 of the beam 330 using the system 500, the angle profile 608 can bewithin eighty percent of linear over an angle range between negativeforty five degrees and positive forty five degrees. The angle profile608 can have a mean squared error relative to a triangular waveform(e.g., of same magnitude (for the example depicted, 30 degrees) andfrequency (for the example depicted, of 60 Hz) less than about onepercent, such as less than about 1e⁻³.

FIG. 7A depicts an example of a system 700 that can articulate at leastone of the first lens 304 or the second lens 320. The system 700 can besimilar to the system 500. For example, the system 700 can include thecontroller 508 of the system 500 to control operation of an actuatorthat incorporates features of the actuator 504.

The system 700 includes a flexure 708 (e.g., actuated flexure) tooperate as a biasing element (e.g., to perform a similar function as theenergy storage element 512 described with reference to FIG. 5). Theflexure 708 can be useful for optical scanning, as it can be provided asa monolithic, frictionless component having infinite resolution, and canoperate indefinitely. For example, the movement of the flexure 708 canbe within an endurance limit of the flexure 708, eliminating structuralfatigue over time.

For example, the flexure 708 can include a first flexure 712 and asecond flexure 716. The flexures 712, 716 can be arranged in series andcan be centered on the center of curvature 301 of the at least one ofthe first lens 304 or the second lens 320. The flexures 712, 716 can beleaf-type isosceles trapezoidal flexures.

The actuator of the system 700 can include or be coupled with a rotor720 and a stator (not shown). The rotor 720 can be a permanent magnetrotor. The stator can be a coil stator, such as an electromagnetic coilthat receives electrical current from a power supply included in orcoupled with the controller 508 (e.g., the electrical current cancorrespond to a control signal from the controller 508 to controlrotation of the rotor 720 using the stator). Responsive to the controlsignal (e.g., from controller 508), the actuator can articulate the atleast one of the first lens 304 or the second lens 320, such as toarticulate the at least one of the first lens 304 or the second lens 320sinusoidally over time, by controlling operation of the stator,including to apply a magnetic moment to end 724 of the flexure 716. Theend 724 can be grounded (e.g., fixed to a fixed point, such as a vehicleor a member fixed relative to a vehicle associated with the system 700).The movement (e.g., sinusoidal deflection) of the flexure 716 can beoffset by the translation of the end 724 of the flexure 716, which iscoupled to a member 728 (see FIGS. 7B, 7C) opposite the end 724. Assuch, structural effects on the flexure 716 due to movement over timecan be reduced or minimized, extending longevity of the flexure 708, andthe lens 320 can be controlled to perform similar or identical movementto the rigid body movement about the center of curvature 301 asdescribed with respect to the system 500.

The flexure 708 can be implemented in various combinations of multipleinstances of the flexure 708, including connecting flexures 708 in atleast one of series or parallel arrangements. Such combinations canfacilitate indefinite lifespan of the flexures 708 and stiffness foroperating in a harmonically resonant configuration within a target rangeof scan rates. FIG. 7B depicts an example of a flexure assembly 750 thatcan be used to implement the flexure 708 described with reference toFIG. 7A. The flexure assembly 750 include one or more flexures 754 thatare connected (e.g., grounded in position) to the member 728 to enablecenter translation of the flexures 754 back towards the member 728 tomitigate parasitic movement associated with deflection of the flexures754. For example, as depicted in the finite element analysis (FEM)diagram 780 of FIG. 7C showing motion of the second lens 320 using theflexure 754, the flexure 754 can remain grounded to the member 728 whilethe second lens 320 is articulated.

FIGS. 8A and 8B depict examples of articulations 800, 850 in which thefirst lens 304 is articulated (e.g., using features of the system 500 orthe system 700), while the second lens 320 is maintained in a staticposition. For example, the first lens 304 can be a plano-convex scanninglens, and the second lens 320 can be a static plano-concave lens.Providing the second lens 320 as a plano-concave lens can enable thesecond lens 320 to be an environmentally sealed optical window to anexterior of a device that includes the lenses 304, 320, which can reducecomponent count and volumetric size of the device.

As depicted in FIG. 8A, the beam 302 can be received by the firstportion 312, which defines an angle 804 (defined in the x-y planerelative to the optical axis 308). The beam 302 can be deflected by thefirst lens 304 (e.g., at second portion 316) by an angle 808(corresponding to the angle 804 and defined in the x-y plane relative tothe optical axis 308) to be outputted as a beam 812. The beam 812 can bereceived by the third portion 324, and can be deflected by the fourthportion 328 to be outputted as a beam 816 at an angle 820 defined in thex-y plane relative to the optical axis 308.

As depicted in FIG. 8B, the beam 302 can be received by the firstportion 312, which defines an angle 854 (defined in the x-y planerelative to the optical axis 308). The beam 302 can be deflected by thefirst lens 304 (e.g., at second portion 316) by an angle 858(corresponding to the angle 854 and defined in the x-y plane relative tothe optical axis 308) to be outputted as a beam 862. The beam 862 can bereceived by the third portion 324, and can be deflected by the fourthportion 328 to be outputted as a beam 866 at an angle 870 defined in thex-y plane relative to the optical axis 308.

FIG. 9 depicts an example of a system 900 to implement at least somefeatures of the LIDAR system 200 and the system 300 in a manner asdescribed with reference to FIGS. 8A and 8B. The system 900 can includean enclosure 904, such as a sealed housing. The system 900 can includeoptics 908 (e.g., transmission and receiver optics) positioned withinthe enclosure 904. For example, the optics 908 can include componentssuch as at least one of the laser source 204, splitter 208, modulator214, amplifier 220, collimator 224, circulator 228, or mixer 260described with reference to FIG. 2, and can include components such asan actuator (e.g., actuator 504) to control articulation of the firstlens 304. The optical axis 308 can be aligned with the optics 908. Thesystem 900 can include detection circuitry 912 positioned within theenclosure 904 and coupled with the optics 908. For example, thedetection circuitry 912 can include the receiver 276 described withreference to FIG. 2. The system 900 can include processing circuitry 916positioned within the enclosure 904 and coupled with the optics 908 anddetection circuitry 912. The processing circuitry 916 can be used tocontrol articulation of the first lens 304 (e.g., by controlling anactuator such as the actuator 504 coupled with the energy storageelement 512 or an actuator coupled with the flexure 708, such as toperform a resonant sinusoidal control of the first lens 304, or theactuator coupled with the flexure 708). The processing circuitry 916 caninclude or be coupled with a position sensor to detect a position,including an angular position relative to the optical axis 308, of atleast one of the first lens 304 or the second lens 320. The processingcircuitry 916 can be used to perform at least some control andprocessing for determining at least one of a range to or a velocity ofan object, such as by including components of the processing system 290such as the scanner controller 292, Doppler compensator 294, ormodulator controller 296. The processing circuitry 916 can include or becommunicatively coupled with the vehicle controller 298 (e.g., can beconnected by a wired or wireless connection with one or more processorsof an autonomous vehicle to which the system 900 is attached thatimplement the vehicle controller 298).

The second lens 320 can be positioned within and attached to theenclosure 904. For example, the system 900 can include a seal 920, suchas a sealing bezel, that attaches the second lens 320 with the enclosure904. The enclosure 904 can define an opening 924 that extends into theenclosure 904 and receives the second lens 320 and the seal 920.

FIGS. 10A and 10B depicts examples of articulations 1000, 1050 in whichboth the first lens 304 and the second lens 320 are articulated (e.g.,both articulated in the x-y plane). As depicted in FIG. 10A, the beam302 can be received at the first portion 312, which has been rotated byan angle 1004 relative to the optical axis 308 in the x-y plane, suchthat the beam 302 is deflected to be outputted by the second portion 316at an angle 1008 relative to the optical axis 308 in the x-y plane as abeam 1012. The beam 1012 can be received at the third portion 324, whichhas been rotated at an angle 1016 relative to the optical axis 308 inthe x-y plane, such that the beam 1012 is deflected to be outputted bythe fourth portion 328 at an angle 1020 relative to the optical axis 308in the x-y plane.

As depicted in FIG. 10B, the beam 302 can be received at the firstportion 312, which has been rotated by an angle 1054 relative to theoptical axis 308 in the x-y plane, such that the beam 302 is deflectedto be outputted by the second portion 316 at an angle 1058 relative tothe optical axis 308 in the x-y plane as a beam 1062. The beam 1062 canbe received at the third portion 324, which has been rotated at an angle1066 relative to the optical axis 308 in the x-y plane, such that thebeam 1062 is deflected to be outputted by the fourth portion 328 at anangle 1070 relative to the optical axis 308 in the x-y plane.

FIG. 11 depicts an example of a chart 1100 of an angle profile 1104corresponding to rotation of the first lens 304, an angle profile 1108corresponding to rotation of the second lens 320, and a resulting angleprofile 1112 of the beam outputted by the lenses 304, 320 in accordancewith articulations such as those described with respect to FIGS. 10A and10B. In the example depicted with respect to FIG. 11, the lenses 304,320 have refractive indices of 1.8, and are articulated at an amplitudeof 22.5 degrees at a rate of 60 Hz. The angle profile 1112 can be asubstantially triangular waveform (e.g., triangular over a half cycle ofarticulation of the lenses from zero degrees to a maximum positive angledeflection and back to zero degrees, or a full cycle from zero degreesto a maximum positive angle deflection, back to zero degrees, to amaximum negative angle deflection, and back to zero degrees) ofamplitude of about 55 degrees. For example, the angle profile 1112 canhave a mean squared error relative to a triangular waveform (e.g., awaveform that has linear segments over the corresponding period of time)that is less than a threshold mean squared error, such as a threshold of0.1 or 0.01; for the example depicted with respect to FIG. 11, the meansquared error is 0.0001, which can represent a one hundred timesimprovement as compared to an angle profile that is sinusoidal.

Various features of the systems 500, 700 as described with respect toFIGS. 4A-11 can be implemented to articulate at least one of thespherical lenses 354, 370 as described with reference to FIGS. 3C and3D. Articulation of at least one of the first lens 354 or the secondlens 370 can be performed with greater degrees of freedom than for thelenses of the system 300, due to the spherical shape of the lenses 354,370 (including, for example and among others, directions 1201 depictedin FIG. 12). For example, articulation can be performed with respect tovarious planes of articulation that allow for the spherical surfaces ofthe lenses 354, 370 to be aligned about the optical axes of the lenses354, 370 (e.g., radially symmetric optical axes), such as planes ofarticulation in which the optical axes wholly lie in the planes.

FIG. 12 depicts an example of an articulation 1200 that can be performedusing the lenses 354, 370, in which the second lens 370 is articulatedrelative to the first lens 354. As depicted in FIG. 12, the beam 352 canbe received along the optical axis 358 at the first portion 362, andpass through the first lens 354 to be outputted by the second portion366 as a beam (not shown) to the third portion 374 of the second lens370. The second lens 370 has been articulated by an angle 1208 withrespect to the optical axis 358 (e.g., rotated about center of curvature351), such that the beam is deflected by the second lens 370 to beoutputted from the fourth portion 378 as a beam 1212 having an angle1216 relative to the optical axis 358. The optical axis 358 and thebeams 352, 1204, and 1212 can lie in a same plane.

FIG. 13 depicts an example of an articulation 1300 that can be performedusing the lenses 354, 370, such as to enable beam steering in bothazimuth and elevation planes. For example, the first lens 354 can be adynamic plano convex lens (e.g., articulated in a plane in which theoptical axis 358 lies) and the second lens 370 can be a resonantlyactuated plano concave lens. The first lens 354 can be articulated invarious manners, including but not limited to a linear, monotonicprofile 1304. For example, the first lens 354 can be coupled with agimbal (not shown) centered about a curvature of the second portion 366of the first lens 350 (e.g., aligned with the optical axis 358).

The beam 352 can be received at the first portion 362 and deflected bythe second portion 366 to be outputted as a beam (not shown) at an anglewith respect to the optical axis 358. With respect to the x-y-z frame ofreference depicted for FIG. 13, the beam can be outputted from thesecond portion 366 in the x-y plane at an angle relative to the opticalaxis 358. The beam can be received at the third portion 374 anddeflected to be outputted by the fourth portion 378 as a beam 1316 at anangle 1320 relative to the optical axis 358. As depicted for thearticulation 1300, the second lens 370 can be articulate in the x-yplane that is orthogonal to the x-z plane for which articulation of thefirst lens 304 occurs; the articulation of the second lens 370 can occurin various planes in which the optical axis 358 lies, including but notlimited to the x-z plane. The articulation of the second lens 370 can beperformed using resonant motion (e.g., according to profile 1324), whichcan mitigate power usage relative to amplitude of the motion. Thearticulation of the second lens 370 can be substantially linear, in amanner analogous to that described for angle profile 608 described withreference to FIG. 6.

FIG. 14 depicts an example of a scan pattern 1400 resulting from thearticulation 1300 described with reference to FIG. 13. As depicted inFIG. 14, the lenses 1354, 1370 can be oriented and articulated inorthogonal planes with respect to one another to achieve scanning inboth elevation and azimuth.

Having now described some illustrative implementations, it is apparentthat the foregoing is illustrative and not limiting, having beenpresented by way of example. In particular, although many of theexamples presented herein involve specific combinations of method actsor system elements, those acts and those elements can be combined inother ways to accomplish the same objectives. Acts, elements andfeatures discussed in connection with one implementation are notintended to be excluded from a similar role in other implementations orimplementations.

The phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of“including” “comprising” “having” “containing” “involving”“characterized by” “characterized in that” and variations thereofherein, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter, equivalentsthereof, and additional items, as well as alternate implementationsconsisting of the items listed thereafter exclusively. In oneimplementation, the systems and methods described herein consist of one,each combination of more than one, or all of the described elements,acts, or components.

Any references to implementations or elements or acts of the systems andmethods herein referred to in the singular can also embraceimplementations including a plurality of these elements, and anyreferences in plural to any implementation or element or act herein canalso embrace implementations including only a single element. Referencesin the singular or plural form are not intended to limit the presentlydisclosed systems or methods, their components, acts, or elements tosingle or plural configurations. References to any act or element beingbased on any information, act or element can include implementationswhere the act or element is based at least in part on any information,act, or element.

Any implementation disclosed herein can be combined with any otherimplementation or embodiment, and references to “an implementation,”“some implementations,” “one implementation” or the like are notnecessarily mutually exclusive and are intended to indicate that aparticular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connectionwith the implementation can be included in at least one implementationor embodiment. Such terms as used herein are not necessarily allreferring to the same implementation. Any implementation can be combinedwith any other implementation, inclusively or exclusively, in any mannerconsistent with the aspects and implementations disclosed herein.

Where technical features in the drawings, detailed description or anyclaim are followed by reference signs, the reference signs have beenincluded to increase the intelligibility of the drawings, detaileddescription, and claims. Accordingly, neither the reference signs northeir absence have any limiting effect on the scope of any claimelements.

Systems and methods described herein may be embodied in other specificforms without departing from the characteristics thereof. Furtherrelative parallel, perpendicular, vertical or other positioning ororientation descriptions include variations within +/−10% or +/−10degrees of pure vertical, parallel or perpendicular positioning.References to “approximately,” “about” “substantially” or other terms ofdegree include variations of +/−10% from the given measurement, unit, orrange unless explicitly indicated otherwise. Coupled elements can beelectrically, mechanically, or physically coupled with one anotherdirectly or with intervening elements. Scope of the systems and methodsdescribed herein is thus indicated by the appended claims, rather thanthe foregoing description, and changes that come within the meaning andrange of equivalency of the claims are embraced therein.

The term “coupled” and variations thereof includes the joining of twomembers directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may bestationary (e.g., permanent or fixed) or moveable (e.g., removable orreleasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members coupleddirectly with or to each other, with the two members coupled with eachother using a separate intervening member and any additionalintermediate members coupled with one another, or with the two memberscoupled with each other using an intervening member that is integrallyformed as a single unitary body with one of the two members. If“coupled” or variations thereof are modified by an additional term(e.g., directly coupled), the generic definition of “coupled” providedabove is modified by the plain language meaning of the additional term(e.g., “directly coupled” means the joining of two members without anyseparate intervening member), resulting in a narrower definition thanthe generic definition of “coupled” provided above. Such coupling may bemechanical, electrical, or fluidic.

References to “or” can be construed as inclusive so that any termsdescribed using “or” can indicate any of a single, more than one, andall of the described terms. A reference to “at least one of ‘A’ and ‘B’”can include only ‘A’, only ‘B’, as well as both ‘A’ and ‘B’. Suchreferences used in conjunction with “comprising” or other openterminology can include additional items.

Modifications of described elements and acts such as variations insizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the variouselements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials,colors, orientations can occur without materially departing from theteachings and advantages of the subject matter disclosed herein. Forexample, elements shown as integrally formed can be constructed ofmultiple parts or elements, the position of elements can be reversed orotherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete elements orpositions can be altered or varied. Other substitutions, modifications,changes and omissions can also be made in the design, operatingconditions and arrangement of the disclosed elements and operationswithout departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., “top,” “bottom,”“above,” “below”) are merely used to describe the orientation of variouselements in the FIGURES. It should be noted that the orientation ofvarious elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments,and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the presentdisclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system,comprising: a laser source configured to output a first beam; a firstlens comprising one of a convex portion or a concave portion, the firstlens configured to receive the first beam to output a second beam; and asecond lens comprising the other of the convex portion or the concaveportion, the second lens configured to receive the second beam to outputa third beam, wherein at least one of the first lens or the second lensis rotatable about an axis that is offset from the at least one of thefirst lens or the second lens and that passes through a particular areaof curvature of the convex portion or the concave portion of the atleast one of the first lens or the second lens.
 2. The LIDAR system ofclaim 1, further comprising an actuator configured to rotate the atleast one of the first lens or the second lens about the axis.
 3. TheLIDAR system of claim 2, wherein the axis is a first axis, and theactuator is configured to rotate the at least one of the first lens orthe second lens relative to a second axis along which the first lensreceives the first beam and adjusts an angle of the third beam relativeto the first beam.
 4. The LIDAR system of claim 2, further comprising atleast one of a spring or an actuated flexure coupled with the at leastone of the first lens or the second lens to provide a linear restorativeforce to rotation of the at least one of the first lens or the secondlens.
 5. The LIDAR system of claim 1, wherein the convex portion of theat least one of the first lens or the second lens is cylindrical.
 6. TheLIDAR system of claim 1, wherein the convex portion of the at least oneof the first lens or the second lens is spherical.
 7. The LIDAR systemof claim 1, further comprising a modulator configured to modulate atleast one of a phase or a frequency of the first beam and transmit themodulated first beam to the first lens.
 8. The LIDAR system of claim 1,further comprising a position sensor configured to detect a position ofat least one of the first lens or the second lens.
 9. The LIDAR systemof claim 8, further comprising one or more processors configured tocontrol operation of an actuator based on the position of the at leastone of the first lens or the second lens.
 10. An autonomous vehiclecontrol system, comprising: a laser source configured to output a firstbeam; a first lens comprising one of a convex portion or a concaveportion, the first lens configured to receive the first beam to output asecond beam; and a second lens comprising the other of the convexportion or the concave portion, the second lens configured to receivethe second beam to output a third beam, wherein at least one of thefirst lens or the second lens is rotatable about an axis offset from theat least one of the first lens or the second lens and that passesthrough a particular area of curvature of the convex portion or theconcave portion of the at least one of the first lens or the secondlens; and one or more processors configured to: receive a signal from atleast one of reflection or scattering of the third beam by an object;determine at least one of a range to the object or a velocity of theobject based on the signal; and control operation of an autonomousvehicle responsive to the at least one of the range or the velocity. 11.The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 10, further comprising anactuator configured to rotate the at least one of the first lens or thesecond lens about the axis.
 12. The autonomous vehicle control system ofclaim 11, wherein the axis is a first axis, and the actuator isconfigured to rotate at least one of the first lens or the second lensrelative to a second axis along which the first lens receives the firstbeam and adjusts an angle of the third beam relative to the first beam.13. The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 10, wherein theconvex portion of the at least one of the first lens or the second lensis cylindrical.
 14. The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 10,wherein the convex portion of the at least one of the first lens or thesecond lens is spherical.
 15. The autonomous vehicle control system ofclaim 10, further comprising a modulator configured to modulate at leastone of a phase or a frequency of the first beam and transmit themodulated first beam to the first lens.
 16. The autonomous vehiclecontrol system of claim 10, further comprising a position sensorconfigured to detect a position of at least one of the first lens or thesecond lens.
 17. An autonomous vehicle, comprising: a laser sourceconfigured to output a first beam; a first lens comprising one of aconvex portion or a concave portion, the first lens configured toreceive the first beam to output a second beam; a second lens comprisingthe other of the convex portion or the concave portion, the second lensconfigured to receive the second beam to output a third beam, wherein atleast one of the first lens or the second lens is rotatable about anaxis offset from the at least one of the first lens or the second lensand that passes through a particular area of curvature of the convexportion or the concave portion of the at least one of the first lens orthe second lens; a steering system; a braking system; and one or moreprocessors configured to: receive a signal from at least one ofreflection or scattering of the third beam by an object; determine atleast one of a range to the object or a velocity of the object based onthe signal; and control operation of at least one of the steering systemor the braking system based on the at least one of the range or thevelocity.
 18. The autonomous vehicle of claim 17, further comprising anactuator configured to rotate the at least one of the first lens or thesecond lens about the axis to adjust an azimuth angle of the third beam.19. The autonomous vehicle of claim 17, wherein the convex portion ofthe at least one of the first lens or the second lens is cylindrical.20. The autonomous vehicle of claim 17, wherein the convex portion ofthe at least one of the first lens or the second lens is spherical.